What are the new European rules for marketplaces?

A new law for marketplace is about to be signed end of May 2019, before the European elections. From this date, you will get one year to adapt your marketplace and fit new regulations regarding marketplaces.

So, which are new rules to follow?

• Prohibition of some unfair practice

We are talking here about vendors’ protection. Dereferencing of vendors on marketplaces is usual and most of them can not bounce back and have to give up their company.

According to the new law, marketplaces’ operators will have to warn vendors about their bad behaviours one month ahead their final removal. So, they will have time to adapt and modify what is wrong or find a new way to sell their products/services.

For some specific cases, time for notification could be adapt.

• More transparency for online platform regarding data

Each marketplaces will have to detail which usage is made for every data related to sales and subscriptions made by vendors.

On big platforms as Amazon for example, it should be precised if it uses these data to optimize their own offers (range, prices,...).

• New way to handle disputes/conflits between sellers and buyers

For some big companies, it would be mandatory to provide an online complaint system and its management with two mediators.

We do not have more information on this topic for the moment.

We do not know if it will actually concerns B2B marketplaces but it is better to be prepared. Uppler is ready to integrate these new features and will keep you informed on what will happen after votes in May.

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